Fibrous scouring pads and process for the preparation thereof



June 21, 1960 J. D. zlLlNsKAs 2,941,229

FIBROUS SCOURING PADS AND PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION THEREOF Filed Dec. l0, 1956 AT'RNEY United States Patent O v FIBROUS SCOURING PADS AND PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION THEREOF John Donald Zilinskas, Jackson Heights, N.Y., assignor to Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York, NX., aL

The present invention relates to brous scouring pads. More particularly it relates to brous scouring pads of triangular shape and a method for the preparation there4 of from a strip of substantially parallel loosely intertwinedv Steel wool scouring pads have previously been prepared by folding or rolling up, along its longitudinal axis, a strip of 'steel wool in which the bers run substantially parallel to said axis. The bers which form the strip are held together laterally simply by some slight intertwining thereof and as a result of the tendency of the rough and uneven surfaces of the bers to snag on each other. Naturally, pads prepared by merely rolling up such a strip have little lateral tensile strength, and in use tend to rapidly fall apart. This problem has previously been recognized and attempts have been made to overcome it by the use of wire mesh or sewn or Woven brous materials for making scouring pads, however the required weaving or manipulations add substantially to the costofthepads.- L

The present process constitutes an economical method for preparing scouring pads from a strip of steel wool in which the bers run substantially parallel to the major axis of the strip. Pads produced by the present process are composed of superposed layers of steel wool, the bers in each layer running perpendicular to the bers in each adjacent layer. This 90 cross-netting gives superior mechanical strength to the pad.

Pads produced by the instant process are triangular in shape. Thus, they are easily used in the manner of conventional square or round pads, but also, by virtue of their acute corners, may be used to reach and clean inner corners and crevices of soiled utensils in a highly effective manner. j

Furthermore, the triangular pads produced according to the instant process are easily packaged two to a layer, in boxes of square cross section.

It is characteristic of pads prepared according to one embodiment of the present invention that they may, after usage, be opened and reversed so as to make available to the user fresh, unused inner bers.

In accordance with the present invention a triangular scouring pad comprises a plurality of superposed triangular segments of a strip of loosely intertwined bers. Also part of the present invention is a process for preparing such a triangular shaped scouring pad from a strip of substantially parallel loosely intertwined bers, said bers being oriented along the major axis of said strip, which process comprises repeatedly folding a corner of said strip sequentially obliquely at 45 and perpendicularly 'to said major axis, so as to produce a triangular layered pad in which the bers of the successive layers run perpendicular to each other.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates a face of a rectangular strip of bers wherein the bers are oriented substantially parallel to the major axis of the strip,

2,941,229 Patented June 21j, 1960 ICC Figs. 2 to 8 illustrate successive steps in a preferred embodiment of the present novel folding process, and

Figs. 9 through 13 illustrate successive steps in an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a corner 10 is folded over against the exposed face 11 of the strip along a fold line 12, 14 bisecting, at 45, the corner 14 nearest the folded corner 10. ThisV fold also crosses the major axis A--A of the strip obliquely at 45.

A second step in'the instant embodiment involves inwardly doubling over the already folded corner 12-14'16 against the exposed face of the strip 11 along a perpendicular 12-16 to the major axis A-A,` thus forming a layered triangular corner 12-16-18. (The perpendicular 12-16 lies adjacent to and immediately under a leg of the triangularly folded corner 12-1446, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.) A third fold, illustrated inFig. 4, is performed along the diagonal 12%18 which lies under the base of the previously formed .triangular corner 12-16-18, thus forming a new layered triangular corner 12-18-20. As illustrated in Fig. 5 the next step consists of doubling over, again against the exposed face 11 of the original strip, the triangular corner 12--18-20 formed in the preceding step. Doubling over of the folded corner against the exposed face of the strip along the edges (1S-22, 22-24 and 22-26) of the triangular fold adjoining the remaining portion of the exposed face of the strip is continued as illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 until vnally a triangular layered pad 22.-26-28 in which the bers of the successive layers run perpendicularly to each other is produced, as in Fig, 8. l

A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 9-13, Fig. 9 illustrating an exposed face 40 of a suitable starting strip of bers. The bers of the strip are oriented substantially parallel to the major axis A-A thereof. The strip is rectangular in shape and has a length which is a simple multiple of its width, e.g. about 4 times.

As shown by Fig. lO, the instant embodiment comprises folding two corners 52 and 82 common to one of the longer edges of the strip inwardly against the exposed face 40 thereof along diagonals 54--55 and 84-86 bisecting at 45 the remaining two corners 54 and S4. Each originally folded, now triangular shaped corner 54-56-58 and 84-86-88 of the strip is further repeatedly folded against the initially exposed face 40 of the strip along the edges Sti-58; 56--70 and 86-88; 86-70 of the successively formed triangular folds adjoining, in each instance, the remaining portion of the initially exposed face of the strip until nally an isosceles right triangular layered structure 56-7086 is produced as in Fig. l2. As shown by Figs. 1l and 12, an equal number of folds are made on each half of the initial strip, so 'that the minor axis B-B of the initial strip bisects the right angle 70 of the isosceles triangular layered structure so produced.

This structure 56-70-86 of Fig. 12 is then doubled over along the centerline B-B to form the ultimate pad, as illustrated in Fig. 13. After usage Ithe consumer may open and reverse the pad as illustrated in Fig. 13 along the axis B-B, and thereby obtain a fresh unused working surface.

After the present pads have been formed, they may be stamped or crimped along the edges so as to help them retain their shape and prevent unravelling.

Although the instant invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it Will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modications can`be made. Thus, it is obvious that the illustrated sequence of folding can be changed considerably and yet produce the same nal structure. Also although the instant disclosure relates to the preparation their width,-it is -`apparente-that other-multiples-may be involved, i.e. three, iive, six, eight and so forth. The present scouring pads may be fabricated with any nurnber of :layers from A.str-ipsof yany @fibrous material ,-ifeg. metals, plastics, vegetable fiibers,v etc. wherein thefi-berls are voriented substantially parallel to lthe length ofthe strip, and may be impregnated, before-orafterrnanufacture, with soap or-any other ldesired agent.

What Vis claimed is:

l. ,A process for preparing a'scourngpad of triangular shape from an elongated rectangular 'strip-of substantially parallel loosely interwined bers, -said fibers being oriented along the major ,axis of -said strip, comprising doubling overagainst oneface of ysaid strip, two corners of .said rectangular. strip, said folds'bisecting the remaining corners of' said-strip, furtherfolding over said doubled corners against said faceofsaid strip along perpendiculars -to the gnajor -axis thereof so as to envelop at least-part ofthe edges of said strip and form a shortened rectangular strip having ltwo Amultilayer-ed -triangular corners, folding over said multilayered triangularvcorners along the hypotenuse thereof and against said face of said strip to form an isosceles right triangle, and doubling over said isosceles right trianglealong a line bisecting the right angle thereof and having .a length equal to the -width of -said strip.

strip, said folds bisecting the remaining 4corners ofi-said strip, further folding over said doubled corners against said Iface of said e strip along 4perpendicnlars Y to the major A@uns thereof so as t envelope at leest part ,ofthe edges of Said- Strip and foune shortened reetaugularstripihaving two multilayered triangular corners, folding over said -mu1tilayered triangular Ucorners Ialong -vthe hypotenuse thereof and against said face of said strip to form an isosceles right triangle, and doubling over said isosceles right triangle a line bisecting the right angle thereof and having a length equal to the width of said strip.

3. A process for preparinga scouring pad of triangular shape --as set forth in claim2 where-in the `length of said rectangular-strip is about four times its width.

4. A triangular scouring pad which comprises a plurality of superposed interconnected triangular lsegments of an elongated rectangular strip of substantially parallel loosely interwined fibers, the bers in each of said segments runningsubstantially :parallel .t0 eaeh Vother and substantially perpendicular I to the fibers of a segment adjacent thereto, each-of said -triangular segments having a side in common with the periphery of said rectangular strip, and the exposed outermost triangular segments of said padbeing joined` to each other along a common edge thereof to envelop therebetween `a plurality of interiorly disposed segments and the periphery of` said rectangular strip associated therewith.

U5. A triangular scouring pad as set forth in claim 4 wherein Ythemiibers,'in,each ofvsaidsegmentsrun parallel to each `,other and vsubstantially perpendicular -to Athe fibers of eachsegment adjacent thereto.

6. A triangular scouring padasset forth in claim 4 having an altitude equal to the width of saidlstrip.

References Cited V.in thele of this `patent LINLTED ySTtdIES PATENTS l,492;099 Kingman Apr. 23, 1924 1,931,022 `Ewerlof Oct. 17, 1933 2,257,340 Jacobsen ISept. 30, 1941 V.FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Y Patent Nou 2,941,229 June 2l, 1960 John Donald Zilinskas It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the' above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters APatent should read as corrected below.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of April 1961,

(SEAL) Attest: ERNEST w. SWIDER XXXXNXEX ARTHUR w.v CRoCKEE ttestmg Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

